Opinion Journal: Are Democrats Abandoning Obama?

Editorial Board Member Joe Rago on the significance of New York Senator Chuck Schumer’s comments to the National Press Club Tuesday. Photos: Getty Images

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... after passing the stimulus ... Democrats should have continued to propose middle-class oriented programs ... and built on a partial success of the stimulus ... but unfortunately ... Democrats blew the opportunity the American people gave ... we took their mandate ... and put all of our focus on the wrong problem ... health care reform ... welcome to Opinion Journal I'm Mary Kissel ... are Democrats starting to distance themselves from President Obama while the clip from New York Senator Chuck Schumer sure makes it sound like it Editorial board member Joe rego is here Joe ... and increasingly comments here what you make them ... well it's really fascinating speech Senator Schumer is ... a very long speech he argued that Democrats really need to offer something ... to the middle class and that all ... of ... the Affordable Care Act Obamacare ... was an historic mistake because it doesn't do that and he he noted that it only extends benefits to five percent of the electorate is it a political loser to shield her book her Obamacare ... what's interesting he was actually one of the people behind the scenes counseling the White House just like ... I cheapest former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel saying ... this is wrong were were were blowing this opportunity ... what what we really need to do is fix the economy and then maybe move on to to health care reform ... he's making this this is been reported ... elsewhere ... come on the puts them in taking these ... doubt so publicly now ... so what what's his game plan here what what what is the game can ... play the politics behind statement that there's a few things ... like if he's the keys from running for Hillary Clinton China put some distance between her campaign and the Obama White House ... that's very interesting he's also saying ... Senate Democrats ... were open for business or for that may be potentially major changes alot next year setting up a fight ... with the present not just to be clear joke he's not backing away ... from the Democrats' government first policy in this speech ... we say we are the party of government he's not changing that easy he's he's ... he's saying that we are the pro government party ... but he sang Obamacare helped undermine that image ... with its implementation failures and then again the fact that ... this is using the government to re distribute away from the middle class and a lot of case so what should Republicans do when they come into office in January intake of this ... look I think it's to test his new pride and Senator Schumer is new pragmatism here ... I it's to say it will look if if you're saying there are things that are wrong with this lot ... here here's what we think is wrong let's let's reopened the debate ... I and and maybe try to secure some ... again major changes that don't mean ... on liberalizing a lot to agree to grieve taking some of these regulations and taxes out of the hands of government ... and putting them back and markets will be fascinating to watch are well editoral board member Joe Drako ... expert ...